The festival, directed by pianist and Fresh Sound recording artist Jan Lundgren (pictured left with Wallander star Krister Henriksson), has over four years offered a progressively more colourful and distinguished programme of major names from across the jazz spectrum despite receiving minimal public funding and relying on the sterling efforts of volunteer workers – in contrast to other fully staffed and funded events in Scandinavia.

This year, the festival’s applications for funding from arts bodies that supported 70 other Swedish music events were rejected on grounds including insufficient international reach and inadequate representation of women performers. Around 50 percent of the performers in the preliminary list issued by Ystad and announced above are either female or from outside Sweden with names such as Scofield, Ibrahim, Redman and Lloyd major international attractions.